Contents

Synopsis

As the Jubilife contest continues, Ash, Dawn, Zoey and Jessilina (AKA Jessie) pass with flying colors. But the tension mounds and pressure is really put on Dawn. Will she manage to win her very first contest, or will Zoey manage to win it all?

Plot

The screen displays the 8 Contestants - they are Zoey, Ash, Dawn and Jessilina (aka Jessie). Zoey congratulates Dawn on this victory and Dawn thinks Zoey passed because she is at least experienced. Dawn calls her mom, who congratulates her. She reminds her that she needs to battle and to keep her gracefulness. The screen displays the battles. Zoey is against Ash, while Jessie and Dawn against some unknown Coordinators. Ash already plans to get the Jubilife City's ribbon, then the Oreburgh badge. Dawn calms him down, and reminds him that the Contest battles are much different than Gym battles.

Zoey asks Ash why is he going for badges and Ash replies he is for the Sinnoh League. Zoey tells him he does not know the difference between Gym and Contest Battles and walks away. Jessie heard this and already thinks she will win. She is approached by James and Meowth, who got badly hurt by selling the fake seals. Jessie convinces them as long as she wins, everything is fine, letting them know she got to Round 2. Next are the Contest battles - first one is Ash vs. Zoey.

Ash sends Aipom and Zoey her Glameow. Aipom charges and uses Focus Punch, but gets canceled as Glameow gets her tail. Glameow tosses her, but Aipom gains stability and retaliates with Swift. Glameow uses Fury Swipes, but Aipom uses Double Team to confuse it, then attacks it with another Swift. However, Glameow dodges and uses Fury Swipes, countering Swift to Aipom. Aipom charges with Focus Punch and gets countered by an Iron Tail. However, Glameow straightens its tail and his Aipom. Aipom stands up and attacks with Focus Punch. Glameow uses Shadow Claw, colliding the attack. Aipom attacks, but Glameow jumps and damages Aipom with an Iron Tail. Aipom stands up and goes to attack with Focus Punch, but alas, time went out and Zoey wins, as she lost less points.

Later, Ash gives Aipom food. Dawn remarks that the battle was exciting, while Brock thinks it was wilder than most. Zoey approaches them and Ash congratulates her, while Zoey tells that the last Focus Punch would've been very powerful. Zoey shakes his hand, but believes that Ash should rather fight in Gym than a Contest. Dawn says Aipom wanted to enter the Contest and Zoey thinks Dawn should raise Aipom. After some battles, Zoey and Dawn will battle each other. Dawn is thrilled to battle an experienced Coordinator.

The battle starts. Dawn sends Buneary and Zoey her Glameow. Buneary starts with Ice Beam and gets countered by Shadow Claw. Buneary bounces, while Glameow jumps and hits her with Fury Swipes. Glameow uses Iron Tail, but Buneary negates it. Still, Glameow spins the tail and Buneary gets thrown away. Buneary uses Ice Beam, but misses, though the field is covered in ice. Buneary hits it with Dizzy Punch and hits it by bouncing. Buneary goes to attack with Dizzy Punch, however Glameow used Shadow Punch on ice and the bits of it hit Buneary, then Glameow hits her with Iron Tail. Time went out and Dawn lost more points. Ash and Brock are impressed by this battle, supported by the fact this was Dawn's first Contest.

Dawn is sad, but her mom tells her that she needs to focus what to do on her next Contest. She also wants that her daughter does not call her and should support her friends, though she will watch the Contests. Zoey and Jessie have the battle. Carnivine binded Glameow and goes to bite. Glameow uses Shadow Claw to hit it, then retaliates with Fury Swipes. Carnivine uses Bullet Seed, but Glameow evades and uses Iron Tail, depleting Jessie's points to 0. Zoey wins the Contest and the ribbon. At the end, Dawn tells Zoey the Contest was a lot of fun. Also, she promises to become a better Coordinator. Zoey waves goodbye to her and leaves.

Trivia

Dawn reads the title card.

Sir Aaron's theme from Lucario and the Mystery of Mew and a remix the Johto Trainer Battle is used as background music.

The two eyecatch shots switched places with each other.

Professor Oak's lecture: Pokémon Contest Battle Round

Pokémon senryū: ごふんかん みせてしょうぶだ コンテストバトル A five-minute battle for show, that is a contest battle.

In the European Portuguese dub, the title card is not read by Raquel Ferreira, which is Dawn's voice actress. Instead, it is read by Ana Vieira, performing a young girl's voice. At the moment, the European Portuguese watchers of Pokémon thought that Jessie's and Dawn's voice actress was changed, but as in the episode Raquel Ferreira was still their voice actress, it is assumed that she wasn't available for some reason to read to title and Ana Vieira tried to imitate her voice as Dawn.

While coordinators normally watch the Contest they're participating in from backstage, Dawn and Jessilina watch the battle between Ash and Zoey with the rest of the audience in the stands.

Zoey tells Dawn to train Aipom after learning her interest in Contests. This later happens when Dawn obtains Aipom from Ash in a trade.

Errors

In the scene where Buneary is blocking Glameow's Iron Tail with it's ears, it's feet were brown.